7.dayanand m. goudar 72 85

Innovative Systems Design and Engineering www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1727 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2871 (Online)
Vol 2, No 6, 2011
Microstructures and Mechanical properties of Spray deposited
and Heat-treated Al-25Mg2 Si-2Cu alloy

Dayanand M. Goudar. (Corresponding author)

Tontadarya College of Engineering, Affiliated to Visvesvarya Technological University, , India

Gadag, Karnataka , India

E-mail: dayanand_goudar@yahoo.co.in

G.. B. Rudrakshi
Basaveshwar Engineering College, Affiliated to Visvesvarya Technological University, ,
Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
, E-mail: rudrakshi_gb@rediffmail.com

Vikas .C. Srivastava
Metal Extraction and Forming Division, National Metallurgical Laboratory
Jamshedpur-831007, India
vcsrivas@yahoo.com
Abstract
The microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of Al–25Mg2Si-2Cu alloy were investigated.
The alloy produced by spray atomization and deposition techniques followed by hot
compression(HC) and age hardening(AGH) at 180º for 2h and 2h intervals after the solution
C
heat treatment. The microstructure features of as cast, spray deposited (SD),hot compressed and
heat-treated alloys were studied. the results show the microstructure of spray-deposited alloy mainly
comprised of a uniform distribution of intermettalics β-Mg2Si phase, θ- Al2Cu and Q phase in Al-matrix.
Eliminating the porosity of deposit and fragmentation of the θ And Q phases is the main features during hot
compression. After solution treating and age hardening, the microstructure found to be comprised of mainly
Mg2Si phase in a fine spherical form. Large quantity of θ- Al2Cu phase and Q Phase less than 50 nm in size
uniformly distributed in the Al- matrix during aging. These fine β particles combined with the θ can
significantly increase the tensile strength and hardness of the alloy. In the peak-aged condition is because of
high concentration of Mg2Si and Al2Cu metastable phases. The microstructural features of alloys been
investigated through Optical (OM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyses of phases were
carried out using Energy dispersive X-ray( EDS).The improvement in the tensile and hardness properties of
studied alloys was investigated by tensile test and micro- hardness.

Keywords: Al-Mg2Si alloy, Spray deposition, Age hardening, Microstructure, Mechanical properties,

Micro hardness
1. Introduction
In recent years, the stringent needs of automotive and aerospace industries have prompted the design of newer
lightweight (high strength to weight ratio) materials (T.Takami,2000. A. Jambor, 1997). The hypereutectic Al–
Si alloy having excellent high temperature strength, low density, excellent wear and corrosion resistance.
Therefore, suitable for automobile engine cylinders, cylinder heads pistons and cylinder liners (J..LJorstad,
1971. A..Pohl, 2006 J.EFoss,2006). The properties of Hypereutectic Al–Si alloys can improve by alloying with

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Cu, Mg, Fe, Ni, and Mn (T.H.Lee,1997. F. Wang ,2004). Aluminum - Silicon alloy with high content of Mg
forms an intermetallic compound Mg2Si which shows a high melting temperature of 1085° low-density of
C,
1.99x103 kg m-3 high hardness of 4500 MNm-2, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 7.5x10 -6K-1 and a
reasonably high elastic modulus of 120 GPa (L Lu& M.O.Lai ,1998 G. Frommeyer,1994).Adding Cu and Mg
in hypereutectic Al-Si alloy forms precipitation hardening phases such as Al2Cu, Mg2Si and Al2CuMg. The
precipitation hardening at high ratios of copper to magnesium is achieved in the sequence GP zones through a
coherent phase (θ´) to Al2Cu (θ). Precipitation hardening at lower ratios of copper to magnesium achieved in the
sequence GP zones through a coherent phase to Al2MgCu. These intermetallic precipitates are coherent with
main structure and affects the mechanical and physical properties of the material (M.M.Sharma & MF
Amateau,2005.J.L.Cavazos&R.Cola,2001,C.Meriç &R.Varol,1993. E.Atik & C.Meriç ,1996. N.
Tenekedjiev,1990) However, conventional techniques of processing of these materials lead to coarse and
segregated microstructure with long plates of intermetallic transition metal compounds that gives rise to inferior
mechanical properties (Grant P.S .1995)]. Spray deposition comprised of molten metal atomized by N 2 gas, and
its deposition on a copper substrate forms a rapidly solidified dense billet. The alloys produced by this show
refined and equiaxed grain microstructure, sharply decreased segregation and increased metastable solid
solubility (C.Cui& A.Schulz,2009). However, there always exists some porosity in the spray deposited alloys.
Forming porosity may be because of the dissolved gas in the molten metal, during solidification of molten
aluminum, and dissolved hydrogen over the low solid solubility may precipitate in the form of gas pores (GUO
Shu, &NING Zhl -lliang ,2009) The number, size, distribution and morphology of porosity in spray-deposited
material depend to a larger extent on the processing conditions. However, some amount of plastic deformation
needs for complete densification of material. In the present study, Al-25Mg2Si alloy with copper 2% (mass
fraction) synthesized using the SDP, followed by hot compression and heat treatment to get end-product
performance. The main work done on characterization of microstructural evolution and mechanical properties in
the spray deposited as well as heat-treated conditions.

2. Experimental details

The nominal composition of alloy was Al-1.86Si-13Mg-1.98Cu-0.5Fe-0.5Ni (wt%). The summary of the spray
deposition process parameters used in the present study represented in Table:1.The alloy was melted and
superheated to 100° The molten material disintegrated into a dispersion of micron sized droplets by free fall
C.
nozzle using nitrogen at a pressure of 4 MPa. Subsequently, the atomized droplets deposited onto a water-cooled
copper substrate collected as a coherent, dense preform. The preform ofter being cut into billet was hot
compressed (HC) at 460˚C after soaking for 1h. In this study heat treatment for the sprayed and hot compressed
alloy applied, which involved solution treating at 530 ◦C for 1h followed by water quenching, and artificial aging
at 180 ◦C for 1h.and 2h age time. To reveal the microstructures of as-cast, spray deposited as well as heat treated
samples were polished and etched by kellers reagent and then analysed by optical microscopy (OM) and S-
3400N Hitachi make Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) attached with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
(EDS) employed to analyze the intermetallic compounds and precipitates. The tensile tests carried out in
Universal Testing Machine (make and model: UNITEK-9550) at a cross head of 5 mm/min, and hardness using
Micro-hardness tester ( Mitutoyo ATK-600) at a load of 300gm.

3. Results and Discussion

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Vol 2, No 6, 2011
Optical microstructure of as-casting Al-25Mg2Si-2Cu alloy shown in Figure:1. The primary α-Al dendrites;
intermetallic β phase is of much larger interconnected dendrite and Mg2Si particles become large agglomerations.
The coarse acicular, plate-like morphologies of θ-Al2Cu phase and Q phase formed under a low solidification
rate resulting from the eutectic reaction. The SEM image of as-cast alloy (Figure: 2) shows the existence of β-
Mg57Si27 (point. 2) appeared in polyhedral shaped sharp edge particles with unevenly distributed in α-Al matrix,
the θ-Al2Cu phase identified using EDS as the whitest coarse intermetallic phase appear in Chinese script, star
like and other compact shapes. The light grey intermetallic Q-Al2Cu2Mg8Si7 (Point. 3) phase with an intertwined
structure shown in the Table: 2. The SEM micrograph and EDS of different phases of SD alloy shown in Figure
:3 and table:3. The microstructure is comprise mainly θ-Al65Cu35 phase (the clearest white phase) around a very
small needle of Q-Al17Mg42Si30Cu11 phase. But Most of the second phase distributed relatively uniformly
throughout the matrix length and amount of Q needles were significantly smaller than the cast samples. It is
possible to recognize an equiaxial refined α - Al matrix and near-uniform distributed primary β-Mg2Si phase
particles crystallized from the melt, and grows in the presence of particulate-like dispersoids with faceted manner
and develops various complex rounded edge polygon shapes attributed due to relatively high cooling rates
during the spry deposition . The size, shape and distribution of primary β phase depend on the process
parameter.
3.1. Microstructural development during hot compression process
Figure:4 and Figure:5 Shows OM and SEM image of the SD and hot compressed sample the microstructure
shows the elimination of porous defects .The θ and Q phases in spray-deposited alloy are so small in size that a
preheated treatment before deformation process can make the microstructure more uniform. Secondly, hot
deformation leads to a micro structural refinement and a solid-state phase transformation. The severe stress
imposed by hot-compression generates high density dislocations in the grains. Subsequently, the movement and
arrangement of dislocations forms lot of small angle grain-boundaries, refining initial grains into several
substructure. In addition to the refinement of grains, hot deformation also promotes homogeneous precipitation
of hardening of θ phase and Q phase which can pin the movement of dislocations to restrain grains coarsening
during recrystallization effectively (J.L.Estrada,1990.A.Mocellin,1993.21-23]. No significant difference in size,
aspect ratio and distribution of the intermettalics of brittle β phase.
3.2. Heat treatment
Solutionizing studies carried out on the sprayed and hot-compressed alloy. Figure:6 and table: 4 shows
SEM micrograph and EDS analysis of the alloy after solution heat treatment. Most of secondary phases (θ
and Q) dissolved in the α - Al matrix, thus the supersaturated solid solution in the matrix increased.
However, the spherodisation and coarsening occurred for β-Mg65Si35 phase after solution treating. Because
of quenching, large amount of Q phase precipitates around the Mg2Si particle interface. Easier and faster
diffusion occurs along the grain boundaries and interfaces, obviously the Mg 2Si:Al interface play
significant role during the morphological change of Mg2Si partcles. Controlled ageing of solution treated
alloys engenders high hardness [17]. Figure: 7 shows SEM micrograph of the alloy after age hardening
treatment of 2 hour at 180 ° It can be seen that a large quantity of white precipitates less than 50 nm size
C.
uniformly distributed in the matrix. The precipitates are identified as intermetallic θ -Al2Cu phase and Q
Phase. The increase of Al-Mg2Si eutectic phase and area fraction of precipitation along the interface of
primary β-Mg2Si phase could be easily observed. The β phase re-precipitates in a very fine spherical form
during aging, also an increase in β- Mg67Si33 phase area fraction. Fine β precipitates combined with the θ
precipitates can significantly increase the strength of the alloy. In the peak-aged condition, the higher
hardness of alloy is clearly due to the high concentration of θ-Al2Cu and β-Mg2Si intermetallic phases,
where the thermal activation energy is enough to nucleate these intermediate phases which are coherent
with the matrix. The additional 2 h of aging at 180 ° resulted in a significant coarsening of structural
C
particles. The precipitates were much larger in size, and elongated precipitates observed in the SEM image
Figure: 8. Increasing aging time or aging temperature, increase in size of particles with a gradual change in
chemical composition, resulting in the equilibrium θ- Al2Cu and β- Mg2Si phases becomes incoherent
particles, which are responsible for drop in the alloy hardness.

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3.3. Tensile properties
Table:5 shows the tensile properties of the alloy under different states. The typical dendritic microstructure of the
as cast alloy with the existence of β phase appeared in polyhedral shaped sharp edge particles, Q and θ phases
are exist in vermiform and long acicular shapes, unevenly distributed in α-Al matrix , can be terribly teared
because of stress concentration and results decrease in the mechanical properties especially plasticity. The high
strength and ductility observed in spray deposited and hot compressed alloys are attributed to the refinement and
modification in the microstructure of the alloy during the spray deposition process. The tensile strength of the
solution treatment and aging condition alloy are much higher than hot compression condition. Controlled ageing
of solution treated alloys engenders high strength hardness (GRANT.P S.1995) The increase of strength after the
aging treatment was attributed to the effects of precipitates in the Al-matrix. During the deformation, the
precipitates restrict the movement of dislocation and the dislocation density increased around these precipitates.
The decreasing of elongation after the precipitation heat treatment may be related with the mechanism of the
growth of micro voids. In the spray-deposited material, the precipitates were numerous and uniformly distributed
in the matrix, which served as the nucleation sites of voids reducing the resistance of the cavitations of the
matrix and also causing the connection of micro voids in a shorter interval of time. Both of these effects
decreased the ductility significantly

3.4. Hardness

The hardness of the investigated alloys as shown in figure: 9.The hardness of spray-formed alloy is higher than
that of as -cast alloy, which may be attributed due to the uniform distribution of intermettalic β- Mg2Si and Q
phase. Therefore, the deformation caused by the micro hardness indentation was restricted by the brittle β- Mg2Si
particles around the indentation. The hardness of sprayed and hot compressed alloy is higher than as sprayed one
due to the fragmentation and refining of θ and Q phases also due to the densification of material. When the
specimen quenched from the solutionizing temperature, point defects and line defects formed around the Mg 2Si
particles due to the large thermal stress generated by the significant difference of thermal expansion coefficients
between Mg2Si and Al. These defects interacted with the dislocations results in the increase of hardness. The
hardness of age hardened alloy is higher than the solution treated alloy, the increase of discontinuous β phase
area fraction compared to the state after solution treatment. In age hardening as precipitation proceeds and the
size and number of precipitates increases, precipitate particles that usually provide an appreciable impediment to
plastic deformation by slip. The alloy reaches the peak hardness of 174 HV at 2h of aging time. As the aging
time increased hardness decreases, because precipitates transformed gradually from metastable to stable state
and incoherent interfaces between precipitates and matrix,

4. Conclusion

1.The Spray deposited alloy had a fine grained microstructure, extended solid solubility, refinement of the
second phase particle sizes, increased chemical homogeneity by reducing segregation, with uniform dispersion
of fine with faceted of rounded edge polygon shape Mg2Si intermattallics in the Al –matrix . Hot compression
provides further refinement in the microstructure with reduced porosity of perform. After solution heat
treatment an important reduction of the aspect ratio and spherodisation of the Mg 2Si particles occurred. In age
hardening process, large quantity of θ phase and Q Phase precipitates were uniformly distributed in the matrix.
The β phase re-precipitates with increase in phase area fraction in a very fine spherical form

2. The evaluation of mechanical properties of spray-deposited alloy exhibits high strength and ductility
over that of the as cast alloy. After age hardening treatment of spray deposited and hot compressed alloy
exhibited an ultimate strength of 290 Mpa and elongation of about 4.4%. The low value of the elongation
was associated with the numerous micro voids generated by the numerous precipitates, which are quickly
connected with each other during deformation.

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3. The maximum hardness is achieved after being aging at 180 ° for 2 h. which was attributed to the
C
effects of small spacing between Mg2Si particles, larger amounts of quenched-in defects, smaller grains,
and in associated with a massive precipitation of intermediate θ and Q phases in the matrix

5. References

T. Takami, M. Fujine, S. Kato, et al., MMC all Aluminum cylinder block for high power SI engines. SAE
technical paper 2000-01-1231.

A. Jambor , M. Beyer, Mater. Des.18(4-6) (1997) New cars—new materials, 203–209

J .L. Jorstad, AFS Trans. 74 (1971) pp 85-90

A .Pohl, Powder Metall . 49 (2) (2006) 104–106.

J .E.Foss, P.Krug, M.Kennedy, SAE2006 World Congress & Exhibition, Detroit, USA, April-2006

T.H. Lee, Y. Kawamura, A. Inoue, et al., Script Mater. 36 (4) (1997) 475–480

F. Wang, Z.Y. Zhang, Y.J. Ma, et al., Mater. Let. 58 (2004) 2442-2446

L. Lu, M.O. Lai, M.L. Hoe, Nanostructured Mater. 10 (1998) 551-563.

G. Frommeyer, S. Beer, K. Von Oldenburg, Z. Metallkde. 85(1994) p 372

M M Sharma, Amateau MF, Eden T J. Mesoscopic structure Control of spray formed high strength Al–
Zn–Mg–Cu alloys Acta Mater . 2005;53:2919–24

J.L. Cavazos, R. Cola’s, Precipitation in a heat-treatable Aluminum alloy cooled at different rates, Mater
.Charact 47 (2001) 175–179

C. Meriç R. Varol, T. Aksoy, Serrated yielding of Al Alloys with Cu, Mg, Li, Model. Meas.Contr. C, AMSE
,
39 (4) (1993) 53–58.

E. Atik, C. Meriç, B. Karlik, Determination of yield Strength of 2014 aluminum alloy under ageing
conditions by means aluminum alloy under ageing Method, Math. Compute. Appl.12 1996. pp 16-20

N. Tenekedjiev, J.E. Gruzleski, Cast. Met. 3 (2) (1990) 96 (1996) 16 -20

P S Grant. Spray forming [J]. Progress in Materials Science, 1995, 39(4/5): 497-545

C. Cui, A.Schulz, K. Schimanski, H.-W. Zoch Spray forming of hypereutectic Al–Si . Journal of alloys .
Materials Processing Technology 209 (2009) 5220–5228.

GUO Shu, NING Zhl -lliang CAO Fu-yang , S UNJian- fei. Microstructural evolution of spray-formed Al-
11.5Zn-2.0Mg- 1.6Cu alloy during hot-extrusion and heat-Treatment Trans Nonferrous Met .Soc China 19 (
2009), s343-s348.

J.L. Estrada, J. Duszczyk, J. Mater. Sci. 25 (1990) 1381

A. Mocellin, R. Fougeres, P.F.Gobin, J. Mater. Sci. 28(1993) 4855–4861

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G. E. Dieter, Mechanical Metallurgy, McGraw-Hill Book .Company, Singapore, 1988, pp. 184–240

Figure1. Optical micrograph of as cast alloy

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Figure2. SEM of as - Cast alloy

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Figure 3. SEM image of the Spray deposited alloy.

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.

Figure 4. SEM image of Sprayed and Hot compressed alloy

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Figure 5 . SEM image of Solution heat treated alloy.

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FIGURE: 6 SEM of Age hardened alloy (AGH2).

Figure 7. SEM photoograph of Age hardened alloy (AGH4)

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AC - As cast alloy
SD - Spray deposited alloy
HC - Sprayed and hot compressed alloy
200 SH - Solution heat treated alloy
AGH 2- Age hardened alloy at 2hrs
AGH 4- Age hardened alloy at 4hrs

150
VHN NO

100

50

0
AC SD HC SH AGH2 AGH4
ALLOY NOMENCLATURE

Figure 8. Micro hardness of investigated alloys.

Tables

Process parameter Value

Atomization pressure Kg/cm2 5.5

Super heat temperature o C 100

Gas-metal mass flow rate ratio 2.43

Deposition distance ( mm) 400

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Table 1. Primary Spay deposition process Parameters

Composition (mass %)
Location Phase
Al Mg Si Cu

θ- Al64Cu36 22.2 0.16 0.10 29.60
PT1

PT2 β- Al14Mg57Si27 0.96 1.86 18.4 Nil

PT3 Q-Al2Cu2Mg8Si7 6.93 53.88 33.2 Nil

PT4 θ- Al64Cu36 22.2 0.16 0.10 29.60

Table 2. EDS Analysis of as–Cast alloy

Composition (mass %)
Location Phase
Al Mg Si Cu
PT1 Q-Al11Mg61Si20Cu7 11.0 44.7 16.6 15.6
PT2 θ- Al65Cu35 25.4 0.16 25.4 31.7
PT4 β- Mg65Si35 Nil 58.9 35.9 Nil

Table3. EDS Analysis of Spray deposited alloy.

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Location Phase Composition (mass %)
Al Mg Si Cu
PT1 Q -Al16Mg49 Si 9Cu7 16.3 44.7 30. 15.7

PT3 β - Mg65Si35 7.4 50.3 33.2 2.2

TABLE: 4. EDS Analysis of Spray deposited alloy, hot compressed solution heat treated alloy.

State of alloy UTS Elongation %
(MPa)
As cast alloy 117 3.2%
Spray deposited alloy (SD) 165 4.156
(SD+HC) alloy 178 5.92
SD+ HC + Solution treated alloy 270 7.63
Age hardened alloy 2hr 290 4.4

Table 5. Tensile properties of SDP, HC and Heat treated alloys.

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7.dayanand m. goudar 72 85

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